A blinding white light exploded between the Titan and the centaur. Chiron flew

into the side of the building with such force the wall crumbled and collapsed on

top of him.

 

"No!" Annabeth wailed. The freezing spell broke. We ran toward our teacher, but

there was no sign of him. Thalia and I pulled helplessly at the bricks while a

ripple of ugly laughter ran through the Titan's army.

 

"YOU!" Annabeth turned on Luke. "To think that I . . . that I thought — "

 

She drew her knife.

 

"Annabeth, don't." I tried to take her arm, but she shook me off.

 

She attacked Kronos, and his smug smile faded. Perhaps some part of Luke

remembered that he used to like this girl, used to take care of her when she was

little. She plunged her knife between the straps of his armor, right at his

collar bone. The blade should've su nk into his chest. Instead it bounced off.

 

Annabeth doubled over, clutching her arm to her stomach. The jolt might've been

enough to dislocate her bad shoulder.

 

I yanked her back as Kronos swung his scythe, slicing the air where she'd been

standing.